Recent PHENIX results on open heavy flavor

Abstract

Throughout the history of the RHIC physics program, questions concerning the dynamics of heavy quarks have generated much experimental and theoretical investigation. A major focus of the PHENIX experiment is the measurement of these quarks through their semi-leptonic decay channels at mid and forward rapidity. Heavy quark measurements in p+p collisions give information on the production of heavy flavor, without complications from medium effects. New measurements in d +Au and Cu+Cu indicate surprising cold nuclear matter effects on these quarks at midrapidity and provide a new baseline for interpretation of the observed suppression in Au+Au collisions. When considered all together, these measurements present a detailed study of nuclear matter across a wide range of system size and temperature. Here, we present preliminary PHENIX measurements of non-photonic electron spectra and their centrality dependence in d+Au and Cu+Cu and discuss their implications on the current understanding of parton energy loss in the nuclear medium.